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EditoriaV Ollllllentary November 2008 Pa e 2.A. Ifs, ands, and more butts ... Renata Bur Editor in Chief There has been an increase in local concern with smoking in public places. Alpena Regional Medical Center will ban the use of tobacco products at their facility on Nov. 20. Alcona County had a public hearing Wednesday, Oct. 3, about the possibility of adopting a regulation that would prohibit smoking in many public places. This was the reason for the sur- vey handed out to students dur- ing the week of Oct. 27 at ACC. There were only a total of 277 students who answered it and three staff members, partly by way of my fault. It wasn't quite as organized as I would have liked it to be and for that I apologize. I also, however, sincerely thank the efforts of every- one who assisted me and took the time to respond. I have to say too, that there are restrictions already in place that limit how close a person can be to an ACC building while smoking (50 feet). The actual sur- vey is on page 2B, along with a de- scription of ACC's Smoking Policy. Anyhow, along the Jines of the survey, I believe that there is a prob- Iem with some of the current des- ignated smoking areas. I've noticed there are times when smokers do not pay attention to whether the en- trance they are standing at is one or not. I have done this a couple times myself as well. But I also think that it is inconsiderate on our parts, for those who would rather not walk into the imposing cigarette odor. As far as calling smoking a 'nuisance', I wouldn't go that far. I only think minor adjust- ments need to be made if smok- ing is permitted in the future. There really is no 'fair' way of approaching this issue. If banned, smokers will complain of being treat- ed unfairly, while if allowed, non- smokers will grumble about the pol- luted air they are forced to breathe. I think making some of the less- er traveled doors into designated smoking areas would be common ground. Smokers would still be able to have a breather, while non-smok- ers won't be forced to walk through the remnants. I know that I do not enjoy crossing the realm of ciga- rette smoke either. It might provide some more grumbling, something about the doors being farther away from classes or having to go in 'spe- cial' doors just because they want to smoke. Does that really matter? On the other hand, non-smokers could use other doors to access the build- ings as well. It's not that hard to use a different door than what is normal. However, if tobacco were to be banned from campus grounds, it would lead to healthier in- dividuals and there would be less cigarette butts lying on the ground around the doors. There was an effort in Janu- ary 2007 to ban smoking on ACC grounds. Dr. Olin Joynton pro- posed it at a staff meeting. Ulti- mately, the administrators at the time decided against it. The gen- eral consensus was to keep the policy the way it was, only to ad- dress the littering problem and employ the use of better signs designating the smoking areas. Overall, the survey depicts a negative response for a ban on smoking (73 percent). However, 63 percent of those polled be- lieve the smoking areas should be moved to a spot with less traffic. I believe that the smoking policy does not need to be necessarily erad- icated, but rather have it allocate revised designated smoking areas. Rise oft e machines Robert Gandy Editor at Large If you've never seen it, the first time you witness the ASIMO walking up and down stairs, sit- ting down, standing and grasping objects with stiff metal fingers, or see "Big Dog" take steady, con- fident steps over piles of debris, snow and steep hills, you may be filled with a sense of wonder, or amazement. My first thought was, "Game over. That's it for us." In entertainment media science fiction has long preceded science fact, but fact is robots are here to stay - hopefully not to take ovei. ASIMO is a bipedal humanoid robot that looks like a human child in a space suit. It is the vanguard of a new generation of human robotic assistants ever increasingly found in hospitals, factories and large of- fices. Big Dog is a four-legged ro- bot that can carry up to 350 pounds much like pack animals we are used to seeing. Unlike those animals, there is no head to bite the hand that feeds, no instincts to 'spook' and no poop to scoop along the way. Most of these robotic projects are funded by government and military backed research agencies - DARPA being one of the major players in that industry. They want to remove the soldier from the battlefield, and let robots do the fighting for us. In fact, DARPA is teaming up with the makers of Big Dog to get the auton- omous robots that work in packs to track and round up "uncooperative humans." The developers are ex- perimenting with mounting tasers and small caliber weapons systems on the robots that can detect elec- tromagnetic pulses from the human heart, and can identify sounds and chemicals in human breath. The US military already has the famil- iar armed reconnaissance drones, as well as mine/IED-disabling ro- bots doing dangerous tasks in and around Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of these robots (like the Predator Drone) are armed and have killed dozens of people in single strikes. Think about that for a moment. If the future implications of autonomous, armed-and-dan- gerous robots aren't clear to you, then you must not have seen the Matrix, Robocop, Terminator, iRo- bot or any of the other movies or TV shows that show the results of technology gone awry. There have already been instances of weaponized robots firing unexpect- edly - fortunately without injury. Japan is pioneering robotics in the civilian context, using robots in hospitals and nursing and rehabili- tation homes to assist patients and staff. Robots like Big Dog would be useful in places even small four-wheel drive vehicles could not go, and who couldn't use an extra pair of robotic hands around? The robotic exo-suit HAL will start being mass-produced in the very near future to allow those with mobility issues a chance at the same movement independence most of us enjoy. It senses neural imp)1lses for arm or leg movements under the skin and activates the corre- sponding motors. For some it will mean enhanced ability to lift, carry and work heavy loads - for oth- ers, it simply affords mobility that might not have been achievable. Those wary of military-devel- oped tools and their civilian impli- cations need to be reminded that the Internet was initially a military communications tool. Look how far we have come in research, educa- tion and interaction - and how fast. for one, our new robot welcome overlords. Time ell spent Jennifer Irish Guest Writer You may not recognize me, you may not care, but you may be feel- ing the same way I did whe.n I start- ed classes. It seems like just this past August, I was 32-years-old, and walked into to Alpena Community College for the first time. I had al- ways regretted not going to college. So, I fig,i.red I would take a class or two to see what I was missing. Min- utes later I walked out with a fulJ schedule due to start in days. Once I got home I was overwhelmed by the challenge I had suddenly imposed on my life. Excited, scared, petri- fied really, but I knew I had taken the first step and I would not fail. Now, I'm thirty-five. I graduated from ACC last spring, and life has been a roller coaster. Immediately after graduation I started my bach- elors program in Sociology and then went through multiple fam- ily losses. I mention this because I truly feel my experience with ACC, the friends I made and accomplish- ments I achieved, made me a stron- ger, better person. Although my ad- dress has not changed, my life has. My time at ACC made me a different person. It gave me confi- den e d empowered me to want mo e 4t of life. I spent two years as editor of The Crosscut, a belittled accomplishment by most, but a treasured gift I hold important. I was able to access a certain amount of power to relay my feelings and messages about issues I felt strongly about. I made connections and built trust in people who never would have given me the time of day. I enlightened and was enlightened back by a community I had never known. I gained the confidence that will follow me for the rest of my life. My time at ACC was well spent. I utilized every part of the insti- tution I physically and mentally could. I used the gym, the Well- ness Center, the library, Leaming Center, Lumberjack Shack (more Academic Calendar: November- January November 2008 Nov. 20: (noon) At the Alpena Coumty Library, Eric Magn~ss-Eubanks, library director, will present a book discussion: "What's New: A Review of Children and Adolescent Books" Nov. 27-28 Thanksgiving vacation- college closed December 2008 Dec. 2: (7:30 p.m.) Chamber Ensemble and ACC Collegiate Singers Concert in Granum Theatre Dec. 5 :End of early registration, tuition due by 4:30 p .m. (7 p.m.) An Evening with the Arts (Student Art Exhibit) Last Day of Fall 2008 classes Dec. 8-11: Fall semester exams Dec. 9: (7:30 p.m.) ACC Jazz Ensemble Concert in Granum Theatre Dec. 20: (1 p.m.) Amahl and the Night Visitors matinee at the Granum Theatre as part of the Spotlight Series 2008-2009 season January 2009 Jan. 6: Freshmen Orientation/ Registration Jan. 6-8 :Central Registration Jan. 12: Spring Semester classes begin Jan. 12-16: Late Registration Jan. 23- Last day to drop classes with fulJ refund: The Cast ' Layout Crew Layout Editor: Lisa Koss than once) and even the student lounge; I tried to get every bit of a college experience I could out of the resources available to me. I am a quarter of the way through my bachelors program ' with Ashford University, outside Chicago. My classes are primarily online, allowing me to stay close to home. I would never have been prepared if it had not been for ACC. My expectations after leav- ing ACC were again terrifying, starting another challenge and again imposing another adven- ture was overwhelrrting. But I was prepared, thanks to the great instructors and courses offered to me at ACC. Once I left ACC I knew I could accomplish the step. My classes at Ashford are chal- lenging but great, and recently, I found myself on the Dean's List, something I never thought pos- sible. Another accomplishment I owe to ACC. I was properly groomed to meet the expectations of a university and have done well. I do not know where life will take me, however, I know the time I spent at ACC was well worth. it and I owe my future to all of people involved in the institution. With today's economic troubles and so much negativity in this world, the only proven investment is education, and what better way to start then here and now. My time at ACC was well spent and I now do not have any regrets. Once you start, don't stop. If I can do it- anyone can. Good luck on your upcoming finals and have a great educational experience. "Yow l.eani, w,mt"from,pe,opl.e, who-a,-e,l.ea,-~ them4ewiw." - H. Jackson Brown, Jr. 'Everyt~itl(J yeu always want,,£ to ~ a6out tutoritl(J, 6ut wm afraia to asl In today's college environment. one of the most important services that you, as a student, can take advantage of is tutoring. The Leaming Center (TLC) at Alpena Community College offers quality tutoring on an individual or group basis. To request an appointment. come to The Leaming_ Center in Van Lare Hall Room 101, or call (989) 358-7270. Our tutors can assist you with courses that you are currently taking at ACC. They can also help with: • Study skills • Note-taking tips • Problem solving strategies • Test review and preparation • Reading skills • Writing skills • Time management • Referrals to other services on campus The Crosscut Mission Statement: Editor in Chief: Renata Bur Editor at Large: Robert Gandy Senior Editor: Gay Lyn Fry Staff Writers Bethany Bohlen Joseph Boza Layout Advisor: Lee Kirkpatrick To provide an accurate, balanced, and informa- tive news source to the students, staff, and faculty of Alpena Community College and it's surronnding communities. Senior Student Editor: Garret Schuelke Student Editor: Jillan Seguin Journalism Advisor: K~rrie L. Miller Disclaimer: Courtney Kazmierczak Anna Martin Kayla Miller Arielle Peirce Gary Pikula Linda Reames Jillian Seguin Katie Welch The views and opinions in this student publication do not necessarily reflect that of Alpena Community College, its student body, or employees. How to reach us Office: BTC 106 665 Johnson St. Alpena, MI 49707 E-mail: studentnews@alpenacc.edu Al ena Communit Colle e To be credible and fair to all parties. To report on issues and events concerning the campus body, as we keep our audience, content, and tone jn mind. To promote and uphold journalistic standards for student writers. To provide the campus with a, quality publi- cation, keeping the reader informed on local news, events, and views.